After 13 years in FPS esports, FNS retires from the competitive VALORANT scene. Enjoy your retirement, legend.
FPS legend and VALORANT trailblazer Pujan "FNS" Mehta announced he will retire from competitive VALORANT effective immediately on May 9.
Last playing for NRG, the in-game leader leaves a significant footprint in the first-person shooter realm after a respected career in both Counter-Strike and VALORANT. His team made an emotional video going through various high moments of his career, but many have one question to ask: Where is FNS off to next?
FNS retires from VALORANT
"A legend steps down today", NRG wrote on it's official X/Twitter account on May 9. In a very emotional video, FNS goes through a rollercoaster of emotions and the accumulation of going home with multiple failures rather than victories.
"It's just one of those things where you just kind of realize it's time. And if I could do it all over again, I would have", FNS says with Coldplay song "The Scientist" playing in the background, making the video even more difficult to watch. No matter what happens in the future, FNS assures the fans that he will keep supporting the team and hopes that fans support him as well.
For VALORANT fans, it’s hard to watch without feeling the weight of a remarkable career coming to a close. FNS spent eight years competing in CS: GO before transitioning to VALORANT with Team Envy. In 2021, he hoisted the VCT North America Stage 1 Challengers 2 trophy — a pivotal win.
A year later, he was celebrating another major victory at VALORANT Masters Reykjavík 2022 where OpTic Gaming swept LOUD 3-0. At that time, OpTic’s roster boasted standout players like Jaccob "yay" Whiteaker and Austin "crashies" Roberts. What initially seemed like a dominant year for the team ended in heartbreak, however, as they fell to LOUD in the VALORANT Champions 2022 grand final.
When OpTic wasn’t selected for franchising as 2023 began, most of its core roster transitioned to NRG. However, FNS couldn’t recapture the same level of success he experienced with ENVY and OpTic Gaming— a key factor in his decision to step away from competitive VALORANT.
"I haven't had this thought in my entire career, but this is the first time I went home and I had the thought, 'I don't wanna play anymore.' It's just, I think, [an] accumulation of all of the seasons, but also enduring failure to an extent way more than I've had success."
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Goodbye, FNS!
FNS was just six days shy of celebrating his fifth anniversary as a professional VALORANT player when he decided to step away. Tributes poured in from players and teams alike, with G2’s Jawgemo and JonahP hailing him as the G.O.A.T. and “an inspiration to all of us.”
Other teams honored him as a “fierce competitor” and “forever a legend of the game,” underscoring the lasting impact of his storied career.
FNS is not leaving y'all missing him for too long because he will keep streaming on Twitch. He has been doing various watch parties of the VALORANT regions. We will miss FNS in the competitive scenario as one of the most legendary in-game leaders. You can check out his latest interview with esports.gg here.
That's all for now. Stick around for more VALORANT news, guides, and updates on esports.gg.
